However, you may not be aware (as I was not until a short while ago) that a Swiss company is producing vegan DHA/EPA capsules. They beat out the other two companies that have been producing DHA only supplements for the past few years. The supplements don't cost much more than DHA only and are available at Pangea and another online vegan store (I don't remember which one). However, if you're interested, the company has a 3 for 2 special at this time. The website is www.water4.net

Take care!

Thanks for the great info DV. I just ordered another round of Dr Fuhrman's DHA but, when I'm done, I think I'll switch to the V-Pure. My Dad was just saying that his doctor recommended the fish oil [even though he's trying to be vegan] because it still had the EPA. Glad to see a vegan source with the EPA. I think the Evelyn Tribole book looks like just what I'm looking for too so, thanks for the recommend.

I'm glad the two of you are on top of this! You will enjoy her book. You might even be able to get it at the library if you don't want to purchase it - I know we have it here. And great news about your dad!

Happy 2008 all! I'm looking forward to achieving my goals this year and feel like I'm pretty well aligned to do so with my diet and personal trainer in tow.

Throwing this out there to anyone who has maybe lived a life of relative inactivity and then made a transformation. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right. Up until my late 20s, I really did nothing pro-active for my health. I was a junk food vegetarian at 21 and at my highest weight at 28/29. I lost the excess 30 pounds doing Body For Life back in 2000 but, I was one of those people who would visit the gym religiously and then not go for like a month.

I'm vegan and no longer a junk food snacker. I take my vega with organic juice but, because I've had such a heavy sugar reliance in the past, I cut the juice to only 4oz and mix with 4 oz of water. I do that in the morning with spirulina and after workouts with the vega so, I only have 8oz of juice per day. I enjoy eating healthy and going to the gym is something I've learned I can't miss. If anything, I'll have one rest day a week and if I'm there less than 6 days a week, I feel incomplete.

I see transformations of people losing weight, skinny people getting muscley and people who use to play sports, got overweight and then got strong and sexy again. I'm curious who I can look to as someone who was never really active like myself and then turned it all around and became an Adonis. Any info of the sort would be greatly appreciated.

Just wanted to write about a local mention for veganbodybuilding.com. My mom writes for a local, free lifestyle publication called Hudson Valley Life. It's distribution includes apporximately 50,000 readers in the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York including Orange, Dutchess, Rockland, Ulster and Sullivan counties. The magazine is distributed to over 600 local businesses including restaurants, bookstores, physician's and other professional offices, libraries, malls and other high-visibility locations. It's geared toward the over 45 set but widely read. The January 2008 edition includes my mom's story entitled "How We Went Vegan". She asked me to provide a quote which was used in the story...

My son David points out that “people often assume that by being on a plant-based diet you have no energy. That’s ridiculous,” he says. “A person can eat ‘junk’ on an animal-based diet just as a vegan or vegetarian can. What I've found for myself, is that as I get away from the junk food, I'm more interested in what foods are giving me the best energy and nutrient density. When you get passionate about eating foods that are high in phyto-nutrients like those found in a plant-based diet, the cravings get less and less and the ability to say "no" to a nice fat vegan cupcake is a lot easier, said David.. “If you think you need animal protein to build muscle, check out the strong, vegan athletes on veganbodybuilding.com“

The article itself is pretty lengthy and espouses the health-benefits and ease of becoming vegan. It's a good, positive 'getting started for vegans' type article.

In other news.... my new trainer is kicking my ass in a good way. I'm feeling phsyically ALIVE. My trainer seems pretty knowledgable and I feel like this is what I need to achieve my goals. I work out 3 times a week with him and 3 days of cardio, some abs and maybe some machines.

We're starting to see the numbers and results in my work-out routine. I mentioned previously that I have a problem getting rid of the little fat that I have. At 38, my metabolism is slower from sitting at a desk job 8 hours a day. UGH! If I was to continue with the amount of calories I was taking in, my body wasn't going to get rid of the fat. I tweaked my diet with my trainer and cut 500 calories per day. We were looking to burn excess fat and maintain or gain muscle mass. Prior, I had gained Â½ pound of muscle. In the first 9 days on the new program, I lost 2 pounds of fat and maintained my muscle mass so, I'm very happy. Remember for every pound of fat loss, think of a pound of butter being 4 sticks. One pound is a lot of fat to displace so, be happy for every pound.

The first part of my training has been to get my stamina up, control my diet and lose the fat... higher reps and concentrating on control and muscle function. In the second phase, I'll start lifting heavier weights to really concentrate on building muscle.

Here's a sample day of food journaling and some other food ideas. Numbers are calories followed by protein. For my plan, I try to keep it under 2000 calories a day.

I use amys veg burgers and broccoli when there's nothing else for dinner. I found a great millet, flax & spinach lavash - samisbakery.com - at my local health store... 52 cal 2 prot with 2 tbsp of my favorite hummus 70-2 and this great new nut mix for a treat- sahalesnacks.com. Â¼ C of the Sing Buri Cashews are 130 cal 4 prot.

First - I will say I am heading to Portland, OR and Northern Cali on vacation. It's really cool, the energy you can put out there and how it all manifests. I needed a break and didn't want to take vacation alone. I met Jonzen via VBBF (right here!) and, after connecting as vegan, healthy conscious artists, we planned a vacation together. We're starting off in Portland this coming Saturday the 26th and heading to his place Sunday eve, then making our way into Northern Cali - Napa, SF and Berkeley. I have a niece in Berkeley as well. Hopefully meeting up with 'the veiny one' Mr. Cheeke - on the day I get into town. We'll be back in Portland Monday, May 5 before I head back home on the 6th.

Sadly, after a great start with my personal trainer, he up and left within the last couple of months. I've been back to training on my own and the power is just not there though, I've stayed relatively consistent. Still, I feel a great lack in my progress. On top of that, the job is in flux and they stopped me from working out an hour on my lunch. I would come in early in order to take an extended lunch and they didn't want to accomodate that any more even though I was making up the time. Petty corporation b.s. It's not what I want to do anyway (8 hours behind a desk - ugh) so, I'm hoping to gain some clarity while on vacation.

I finally got around to taking some pics of me in my vbbf shirt which I'll post here and in the shirt 'thread' in case people don't come here to read my wonderful blog Anyway - I wasn't too excited about any of the images so, I made a little collage of a few of them. Enjoy the feeble attempt at 'the Rock' face and my baby biceps. I can smell what my mom is cooking and we're having black bean soup and roasted veggies. I'm off!

anytime my man anytime. The pleasure would be all mine. I wouldn't mind coming up there one day as well. I have to look up the area but I would imagine it's more rural and peaceful than nyc, which would be a good change of pace. You know, I don't think I have EVER trained with a vegan in the gym??? That is a horrible thought.

I am going to be on vegan overload for VV08'. Perhaps it will help to wean me into it if we get a good workout session in here or there before I go into that environment

Let us know your schedule as you get closer to your days here. I've got something going on Sat. morning and evening but am willing to meet you guys or have you over for an early dinner on Sunday or whatever. My husband is out of town this weekend so I actually get to have a social life!

Let us know your schedule as you get closer to your days here. I've got something going on Sat. morning and evening but am willing to meet you guys or have you over for an early dinner on Sunday or whatever. My husband is out of town this weekend so I actually get to have a social life!

Sweet, Diane - that would be great! The only time constraint on Sunday is picking up a rental car (for our cali trip) between 3 & 4pm at the airport and heading to Sisters about 3 hours away. So - Sunday, the 27th, we have an early end to our Portland stay. Don't forget, we'll be back in Portland on Monday the 5th as well. I don't know what internet access I'll have on vacation so, what is the best way to contact you otherwise? PM if you like. PEACE

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